Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Created: 07/09/13

Replies: 20

Posted Jul. 09, 2013
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davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 775

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Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Posted Jul. 14, 2013
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rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 198

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I definitely preferred the story of Dorothy, Jimmy, and Vivien. During the televised interview when Laurel suddenly became speechless I was "turned off" by the episode/ the character - as just one example of my reaction to Laurel as a character.

Posted Jul. 14, 2013
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kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 184

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

It's funny how different we all are. I definitely preferred Laurel's story to the Dorothy/Jimmy/Vivien one. I think it's because I found Dorothy delusional and Jimmy both too perfect and blinded by love. Plus I always enjoy stories where someone's trying to unravel a mystery.

I had a little bit of difficulty as the plot switched between the two, because there were times when I had to remind myself that although I as the reader knew what had happened, Laurel hadn't learned that yet.

Posted Jul. 14, 2013
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dianac

Join Date: 04/02/13

Posts: 26

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Being a lover of historical fiction, I was more drawn to Dorothy and Vivien's story. The author uses such rich period detail in her books, which is one of the reasons I enjoy her novels.

Posted Jul. 15, 2013
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jeannew

Join Date: 04/23/11

Posts: 51

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I much preferred the stories of Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien. Their stories sucked me in and I found it jarring when we jumped back to the present and Laurel's story. For me, Laurel's story functioned only as a bridge between the events of the others' stories. I did like Laurel and her sisters and Gerry, though. It just wasn't as compelling for me.

Posted Jul. 15, 2013
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laurap

Join Date: 06/19/12

Posts: 87

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

the story of Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien carried the action of the book, and without it I would have tuned out very quickly. On the other hand, Laurel's search for the truth of her mother's history and the violence she had witnessed was the glue that held the historical story together. Both pieces were clearly necessary.

Posted Jul. 16, 2013
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JulieAB

Join Date: 07/16/13

Posts: 22

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I agree with laurap. Both pieces were needed. But, I did find myself drawn more to Dorothy, Jimmy, and Vivien's story.

Posted Jul. 16, 2013
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christinep

Join Date: 07/16/13

Posts: 31

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I was definitely drawn to Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien's story. I felt Laurel's part was a way of revealing what happened to others. You couldn't have one without the other. It made the story much more suspenseful and I loved the cliffhanger type endings of each chapter linking the past to the present.

Posted Jul. 17, 2013
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patm

Join Date: 12/05/12

Posts: 11

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Laurel's story was necessary to the plot, but I preferred the story of Vivien and Dorothy. At times, I became lost in the story - just who was who.

Posted Jul. 17, 2013
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Navy Mom

Join Date: 04/12/12

Posts: 117

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I liked both stories. Actually, I would have liked to know more about Laurel, but it probably wouldn't have added to the author's plot. Still, I would have liked to know more about how the murder had influenced her life. That was really only hinted at in the book.

Posted Jul. 18, 2013
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mariannes

Join Date: 12/17/12

Posts: 197

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I definitely preferred the historical story. Laurel never came alive to me as a character. I like historical fiction, so that influenced my feeling, I'm sure.

Posted Jul. 18, 2013
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nancyd

Join Date: 07/18/13

Posts: 6

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I also preferred the story surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy, and Vivien but I am partial to stories about WWII. I also felt the story was much more developed around those three characters than Laurel. However, I did feel that Laurel's story made an interesting vehicle to move the plot along.

Posted Jul. 18, 2013
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Terry R

Join Date: 12/26/11

Posts: 13

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

The two different stories were too intertwined to choose the one I preferred. You couldn't really have had a story without them both

Posted Jul. 19, 2013
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kathygant

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 12

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I loved the historical part of the book. I am drawn to anything that is written around WWII. I enjoyed Dorthy's, Jimmy's and Vivian's journeys far better that Laurel's.

Posted Jul. 19, 2013
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judyb

Join Date: 10/20/10

Posts: 19

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Each story carried an important mystery to solve, so I liked both. Neither one would stand on its own. The framework of Laurel's story lends focus and interest to the Dorothy, Jimmy, and Vivien story.

Judy

Posted Jul. 23, 2013
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pate

Join Date: 03/15/13

Posts: 21

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

While I especially loved the parts of the story focused on Dorothy, Jimmy, and Vivian, I feel that Laurel's part was essential to the story. I particularly enjoy books where the overall story is told by many of the characters. It is through their stories or perspectives that I gain a better understanding of the characters. I love hearing their "voices" or stories.

Posted Jul. 24, 2013
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dianec

Join Date: 03/15/12

Posts: 16

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I confess that I found Laurel's sections far duller than the exploits of Dolly and crew. But those parts did reveal information about Laurel's mother as she knew her, and Laurel's research answered questions that couldn't be addressed as the events of the war years were still in play.

Posted Jul. 25, 2013
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sallyh

Join Date: 09/07/12

Posts: 73

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I suppose I preferred the stories of Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien, not because I disliked Laurel but because I knew it was those stories of the past that were going to solve the mystery of the killing.

Posted Jul. 27, 2013
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dorothyt

Join Date: 04/10/11

Posts: 102

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

Both stories are essential to the novel, of course, but I probably would say I enjoyed reading the story set in the past more.

Posted Aug. 04, 2013
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jeannew

Join Date: 04/23/11

Posts: 51

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RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I like what nancyd said about Laurel's story being the vehicle that moved the story along. That makes a great deal of sense. If the Laurel part had been eliminated we would have been left with a straight story-line narrative and I think the element of surprise would have been lost. Laurel's narrative allows the final plot twist to remain secret until the end of the book where it has much greater impact.

Posted Aug. 12, 2013
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johannam

Join Date: 03/24/13

Posts: 7

RE: Did you prefer following Laurel’s story or the stories surrounding Dorothy, Jimmy and Vivien?

I always liked the chapters where I learned more of the story thru the eyes of Vivian/Dorothy/Jimmy. I liked how their different perspectives all melded together.